


What lies beneath the river's flow

by robliz



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Shamelessly stealing folklore for my own purposes, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27308929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robliz/pseuds/robliz
Summary: Serena manages to pull her daughter from the grasp of a monster lurking in the river but the monster won't give up that easily. In search of answers, Serena is sent up onto the moors to speak to the local healer, who some think is a witch. Will they be able to save Elinor from a hideous fate in the depths of the river?
Relationships: Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20
Collections: Holby Halloween Monster Mash 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Jenny Greenteeth is a bit of northern folklore that I have shamelessly stolen and used in a way that doesn't exactly fit the original stories.

_Though the river may look fresh and clear,_

_A danger lies underneath,_

_So ne’er dip a toe in the gentle flow,_

_Or feel the grasp of Jenny Greenteeth._

_With skin of green and pondweed hair,_

_And a grip as tight as a vice,_

_Down in the murk is where she’ll lurk,_

_Through sun, rain, wind and ice._

_She’ll pull you down into the depths,_

_And there you will decay,_

_And no one has e’er escaped her lair,_

_So run away, run away, run away._

The last rays of summer sun drifted through the wood as Serena and Elinor walked along the path to their house. Elinor ran ahead and picked wildflowers and Serena just let the sun fall on her face, not worried anymore about the risk of it darkening her fair skin. The river ran by the side of them and ducks swam serenely by, occasionally ducking into the water in search of the weeds at the bottom. The basket Serena was carrying back from the market was overflowing with fresh produce from the local farms and she knew that there would be some good meals made over the next few days. Life was calm and quiet, but good.

A sudden scream broke Serena’s thoughts. She whipped her head around and spotted Elinor, much too close to the water’s edge. She dropped the basket, apples and beetroot spilling out across the path, and ran towards Elinor. She reached her just as she was pulled into the water. Serena flung herself on the ground at the edge of the river and grabbed Elinor’s flailing hands before her head went under the water. She pulled and pulled, all of her strength going into getting her daughter out of that river and back into her arms. Strength she never knew she possessed overcame her and she all of a sudden found herself lying back on the riverbank, a sodden, weeping Elinor in her arms. Quickly, she wriggled them both away from the edge just in time as a thin, green hand reached of out the water towards them. The hand slipped back under the water as they distanced themselves from the river and Serena let out a cry of relief.

Elinor clung to her mother tightly and Serena clung back. Tears ran down both of their cheeks as they contemplated just how close they had come to tragedy. It was many minutes before they felt ready to pick themselves up and collect their shopping. They walked the rest of the way back to the house slowly, Serena’s arm clutching Elinor close to her body.

The house was quiet as it always was since Edward’s death, but they found Essie in the kitchen preparing dinner and Sacha setting the fires for the evening. Both of them looked at them, Elinor still dripping and Serena with a face displaying pure terror, and locked the door tightly behind them.

Essie helped Serena to change and bathe Elinor and wrap her up in blankets while Sacha finished off the meal.

“What happened ma’am?” Essie whispered once Elinor was occupied with a book.

Serena shuddered. “Jenny Greenteeth.”

Essie looked at her in shock. “And you got away! I didn’t realise there was any escape once Jenny Greenteeth had her hands on you.”

Serena nodded. “I know not how. I just held on and pulled for dear life. I wasn’t going to let her get my little girl.”

“That’s motherhood for you,” Essie said, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.

Serena patted her hand. “While I hope that you too get to experience the joys of motherhood Essie, I would not wish my recent experience on my worst enemy.”

Elinor was quiet through the meal which they ate in the kitchen with Essie and Sacha. Serena bundled her off to bed once they had finished, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

“I do love you darling,” she whispered.

It wasn’t long before Serena took to her own bed. The afternoon’s experience had given her a shock that she also needed to recover from. She bade goodnight to Essie and Sacha who promised to make sure everything was secure before they headed to their own rooms at the back of the house.

Serena tossed and turned for many hours, imagining again and again what could have happened if she hadn’t reached Elinor in time, if she hadn’t been strong enough to pull her from the water. She must have finally drifted off to sleep however as she was woken in the middle of the night by Elinor screaming.

Her heart beating faster than ever, she leapt out of bed and ran down the corridor in just her nightgown. She flung open the door to Elinor’s room to find her little girl sat bolt upright in bed, her eyes wide.

“Elinor! Whatever is the matter?”

Elinor just pointed towards the window.

Serena looked over towards the window but saw nothing. Her daughter must just be having a nightmare. She’d thought Elinor had grown out of them but after the scare earlier in the day, it was no surprise that she was getting nightmares again.

Serena went and sat at Elinor’s bedside, stroking her daughter’s hair and making soothing sounds.

“Nothing to worry about, darling. Just a bad dream. Come now, let’s go back to sleep.”

Elinor soothed quickly and soon was fast asleep once more. Serena crept out of the room and back to her own bed. It was chilly in the night now and she pulled the bedclothes up tight around her neck and tried to go back to sleep herself.

Serena had only just drifted back to sleep when the silence of the house was broken once more by Elinor’s scream. Assuming it was just another nightmare, Serena took the time to pull on a woollen shawl before she headed down the corridor to Elinor’s room.

Elinor was shaking with fear, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She was whimpering quietly now, her eyes fixed on the window.

Serena sat herself down on the bed once more.

“Come now Elinor, there is nothing to fear,” she said, reaching out to pull her daughter towards her.

Elinor just raised one hand and pointed at the window. “She was there,” she said in a shaky voice, “It was real.”

Wiping the tears from Elinor’s cheeks, Serena tried once more to reassure her. “No, no, love. It was a night terror. Very scary but not real.”

But Elinor wouldn’t let up. Her eyes never left the window and Serena could tell there would be no calming her until she had taken a look herself.

Slowly, unsure about what she was going to find, Serena edged her way over to the window. The only light was from the moon shining brightly in the night sky. She crept closer and closer until she was right by the window itself. Then she saw it. Right on the window ledge. Caught in the light of the moon. A wet handprint.

She stepped back in shock. Elinor’s room was on the first floor of the house. It must be a good ten feet down to the ground. How on earth had anything got up to the window to leave such a mark. She forced herself to step forwards once more and look out of the window. Just at the edge of the garden, she caught a glimpse of something, something green and thin and odd looking. Something moving slowly across the lawn and into the bushes. Something that looked remarkably like the hand she had seen earlier in the day. Jenny Greenteeth.

She clamped her hand across her mouth to stop her screaming. It wouldn’t do to upset Elinor any more. Instead she walked back across the room and stroked Elinor’s hair.

“It was nothing dear, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep.”

There was a creaking of the floorboards and Essie’s head came around the door. The lamp she was carrying in her hand flooded the room with light and Serena felt Elinor relax in the brightness.

“Everything ok?” Essie asked, “We heard screaming.”

Serena nodded. “Elinor just had a bad dream. She’s ok now aren’t you dear?”

Elinor shuffled closer to her mother but nodded.

Serena wrapped an arm around her daughter and pulled her close.

“Essie? Is Sacha awake? I need to ask him something,” Serena said, desperately trying to keep the panic out of her voice.

Essie nodded. “Yeah. He’s in our bedroom. Shall I go and fetch him?”

“Ask if he’ll meet me downstairs once I’ve got Elinor back to sleep. I’ll talk to him in the study.”

Essie nodded once more and then stepped back out of the room, leaving Elinor’s bedroom in darkness once more.

Serena hugged Elinor tightly and then gently laid her down in her bed again, pulling the blankets up around her neck to keep her warm.

“I’ll stay right here until you fall asleep,” she promised, as she watched Elinor’s eyelids droop.

It didn’t take long before Elinor drifted back to sleep and Serena left her with a final kiss on the forehead. She grabbed a shawl and the lamp from her room and lit it before descending the stairs and entering the study.

Sacha was already there, his overcoat pulled over his nightclothes, sitting in the chair in front of the desk. Serena pulled the shawl more closely around her. It wasn’t just the cold she was trying to protect herself from. The fear of what she had seen sat heavily in her breast. She sat herself down in the grand chair behind the desk, the one that Edward used to conduct his business from. Sacha said nothing and just waited for her to speak.

“Is the house secure?” she said finally.

“Yes. All the doors are deadbolted and the windows are latched,” Sacha replied.

The fear began to recede slightly at his words. Sacha had been looking after them as a family for many years now and he’d always been steadfast and reliable. She trusted him to keep them safe.

“I expect Essie has filled you in on what happened at the river earlier,” Serena said.

Sacha nodded once. “She did.”

Serena took a deep breath. Speaking about what she had seen made it all the more real and she really didn’t want to. But needs must. There was nothing that could be done until she admitted it.

“Elinor saw something when she woke. That is what the screaming was for,” she began. “I told her it was just a nightmare but it wasn’t. It was real.”

“What did she see?” Sacha asked. He’d leant forward in his chair and grasped Serena’s hand. It helped with the shaking she was experiencing.

“I went over to the window…” Serena stopped and swallowed a sob. “And there was a wet handprint on the windowsill. Like something was trying to get into Elinor’s room.”

Sacha shifted in his chair. “Impossible,” he breathed, “Nothing could climb the walls.”

“That’s what I thought. But I saw something. At the edge of the garden.” Her voice dropped down to a whisper. “It was thin and green and while shaped like a human, it moved more like an animal.”

Sacha gripped her hand tight. “Was it…?”

Serena couldn’t speak the words. She nodded and then the tears came fully. Sacha immediately stood and rounded the desk to hold her.

“Don’t worry ma’am. I won’t let anything hurt you or Elinor.”

Sacha was as good as his word that night. Serena took the blankets from her room and made herself a bed on the floor next to Elinor’s, moving silently so as not to wake the sleeping girl. Before she fell asleep she checked the window one more time. Below the window, sat on a chair on the path outside, was Sacha, a gun across his lap. Reassured by his watch, Serena slid under the blankets and let sleep take her.


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came and if Elinor remembered anything of the night before, she didn’t mention it. She was initially surprised to find her mother in her room but reacted mainly with joy rather than worry. She was desperate for Serena to tell her a story before breakfast.

Essie had made eggs for breakfast to go with their toast and Elinor gobbled hers up. Serena picked at her meal, worry having settled in her stomach once more. Sacha came in through the kitchen door as they were finishing and hung his coat up on the hooks. His gun was still slung across his shoulders and he nodded at Serena as he passed.

“Hello Sacha, have you been hunting?” Elinor asked.

“Good morning Miss Elinor, yes I have,” Sacha replied.

“Ooh does that mean we’re having rabbit stew tonight?” Elinor asked. It had long been her favourite meal.

Sacha shook his head. “No rabbits out this morning I’m afraid. I’ll have to try again tomorrow.”

He gave Serena a significant look that conveyed the fact that he was not talking about rabbits. Serena nodded to him and he left the room.

“Elinor dear, will you stay here and help Essie today?” she asked, “There’s something I need to do in town today.”

“Can’t I come with you?” Elinor whined.

Usually Serena was happy to take Elinor with her. She was pleasant company and it was good for her to learn about all the things that went into running a household. But not today. More than anything she needed Elinor to stay safe and she wasn’t sure she could guarantee it by herself. At least in the house with Sacha around, she could be sure of her safety. Plus there was the fact that she didn’t know where her quest would take her that day and how suitable it would be for a child. She didn’t want to be encumbered by Elinor when all of this was about keeping her safe from harm.

“I’m sorry Elinor but I have some very boring things to do today. You’ll have much more fun with Essie today.”

Elinor stuck her bottom lip out but said no more.

Serena patted her on the head and went to collect her shoes and cloak. The weather outside was still warm and sunny but a chill had crept into Serena’s bones since last night and she wanted to wrap herself up against it.

She left Essie with strict instructions to not let Elinor outside or out of her sight until she returned. Sacha nodded to her as he locked the door behind her.

“Stay safe Serena,” he said.

Rather than the short walk into town along the river bank, Serena purposely took the longer, more challenging route over the hill. The path was strewn with rocks and overgrown in places but it was to Serena’s mind much safer and less worrisome than the smooth, gentle riverside path.

By the time she reached town, she was tired from the strenuous walk. She rested for a while on the stone bench near the market just watching the people of the town go about their business. A few waved and smiled at her and a couple even stopped to say hello. She revealed nothing of her purpose to any of those that she spoke to, preferring her plight not to turn into gossip.

Once she had caught her breath, she set off again across the market square towards the town library. It was housed in a building that up until recently had been a blacksmiths but the preponderance of new horses recently in town had forced the blacksmith to move into larger premises and take on new workers. The coincidental death of a local landowner with a large library he wished to donate to the townspeople meant that a public library had been established in its place. Serena had visited once or twice before but usually all her information needs were taken care of with the library back in her own house. This time she knew that her library was not up to scratch though. She’d had a cursory look that morning but just as she suspected, there was nothing to be found on Jenny Greenteeth. She held out some hope for the town library though. Rumour had it that the landowner who donated the books was very into the occult.

The librarian, Miss Shreve, greeted Serena as she pushed open the door. Serena smiled and nodded in return, her eyes already scanning the shelves looking for some likely books to check. Miss Shreve seemed to realise that Serena was uninterested in conversation and let her be. Serena immediately walked over to the shelves and ran her fingers along the spines. She pulled out any books that looked promising and placed them on the table in the centre of the room. Once she had a few, she sat down and began looking through them.

She hadn’t realised how long she had been sitting there when the librarian brought her over a mug of tea and a plate of cake. She stopped, startled, and then looked at the clock to find that she had been sitting there for over three hours. She smiled and thanked Miss Shreve and eagerly ate and drank, only now realising how hungry she had gotten.

The librarian glanced at the books Serena had spread out across the table.

“Planning on a little witchcraft as the nights draw in,” she said, pointing out a few of the more occultish titles.

Serena pulled the books towards her, trying to hide them, before realising that it was pointless and that the librarian didn’t seem to be judging her at all. She released the books and pushed one in particular towards her. It was open on an illustration of Jenny Greenteeth.

“Do you know of her?” Serena asked, hoping that working in the library would have filled the woman with extra knowledge.

But Miss Shreve only had limited information on that particular topic. “I only know what my mother told me. Avoid the river, particularly the fast flowing parts, or Jenny Greenteeth will grab your legs and pull you under.”

Serena sighed. “Yes that’s all I knew too. I wasn’t even sure I believe those stories until last night.”

She related the tail of the previous night to the librarian.

“So now I’m trying to find out everything I can. But these books are useless.”

Miss Shreve nodded. “Yes. That is the problem with these kind of issues. All the books are written on speculation rather than facts. Most of these authors never came across anything supernatural in their entire lives.”

“I don’t suppose you know anywhere else I can look for this information. I need to keep Elinor safe at all costs.”

Miss Shreve grimaced. “There is one person who might know more.”

“Anyone,” Serena said earnestly.

“Well. Don’t say I didn’t warm you but you know that strange woman who brings potions and tinctures to the market each month?”

“The one with the messy hair and the strange clothes that the children all like to say is a witch?”

The librarian nodded. “That’s her.”

“Are you saying that she might actually be a witch? That she might know something about what is going on here?”

She nodded again. “I can’t promise anything but those potions she sells do work don’t they.”

Serena thought about it. She’d only bought them a couple of times but they had always worked well. A nasty sore on Elinor’s leg a year or so ago had healed up nicely once she’d applied the ointment from the market stall. The woman definitely knew something, that was for sure.

“Thank you,” she said, “That sounds like a promising lead. Do you know where I can find her?”

Miss Shreve nodded again. “I think she lives in a cottage out towards the moor. If you follow the path north out of town, away from the river, she’s a couple of miles up that way.”

Serena looked confused and the librarian took pity on her and pulled out a scrap piece of paper. “Here, I’ll draw you a map.”


	3. Chapter 3

The sun came out as Serena, clutching the map in one hand, followed the path out of town and towards the moor. The rays beating down on her skin renewed her positivity, as did the fact that she was nowhere near the river. She had a plan, a way forward. Maybe this witch woman wouldn’t know anything but maybe she would. Maybe she would be able to fix the problem and save Elinor.

The path gradually grew steeper as it wound its way up onto the moor. Already tired from a broken nights sleep and the longer walk into town, Serena grew weary and stopped to rest on a large boulder by the side of the path. She wished now that she had thought to bring food or water with her on her trip today. But that hadn’t been at the forefront of her mind when she set off. All she’d been able to think about was keeping Elinor safe.

After a few minutes, Serena realised there was nothing for it except to carry on. Miss Shreve had promised that the cottage she was seeking was no more than a couple of miles from town so it shouldn’t take much longer to reach it. There was nothing in sight however except the windswept trees lining the path and the heather blowing in the breeze beyond them.

She pulled her cloak tightly around her as the wind picked up and trudged on up the increasingly battered path.

Just as she was about to give up and head back down into town, she rounded a small hillock and spotted, only a few hundred feet away, a small, stone built cottage. Relief flooded through her and she picked up the pace to reach the cottage. She walked up to the front door, a solid wooden one with no knocker in evidence, and rapped hard with her knuckles.

There was no answer. She tried again, calling out this time as well. Still no answer. She moved over to the small, dirty window and tried to peer through to see if there was anyone inside. The inside was clearly a mess with plants and other potion ingredients covering all the surfaces, and some of the floor, but there was no sign of a person within.

Serena fell back again the door and let her head fall with a thud onto it. She couldn’t believe that she had come all this way just to find that this woman wasn’t even in. Where could she be? It wasn’t like she was a regular in any of the establishments in town nor did she seem to know anyone enough to be making a house call.

A few tears began to fall down Serena’s face as she contemplated the long walk back to her house, no further on in her mission to save Elinor from a horrible fate. Just as she was about to set back off down the path, she heard a barking in the distance. Confused, she turned to see the woman coming down the path off the moor, a large scruffy dog following in her wake.

The woman stopped in surprise when she saw Serena waiting at her door. Then she hurried down the path towards her. As she got closer, Serena was the one who started in surprise. Because the woman wasn’t wearing her usual town getup of a plain, warm dress, but was in men’s breeches. Her long hair was pulled back out of the way and she was carrying a knapsack over one shoulder and a rifle over the other.

“Hallo!” the woman cried as she got closer. “Have you come to see me?”

It wasn’t the greeting Serena had been expecting. She’s been sure that, since the woman lived so far from the rest of society, that she would be unfriendly, grumpy even. But as the woman approached she could see a smile across her features and she held out a hand for Serena to shake.

Nervously, Serena took her hand. It was calloused, presumably from manual work, but her fingers were long and delicate and her touch gentle.

“It must be something important, for you to come all this way. I don’t get many visitors,” the woman said when Serena didn’t speak. “Would you like to come in and rest? I might even be able to find some food that’s still edible.”

Serena nodded dumbly. None of this was as she expected at all but the woman seemed friendly enough. She was reasonably certain that she wasn’t going to be chopped up and put in a cauldron so she followed her inside.

As she had seen from the window, the place was a mess. It wasn’t dirty exactly but it looked like the woman just dumped anything she brought in wherever there was a space. As Serena stepped in, the woman hastily cleared a pile of bark from a chair and gestured for Serena to sit.

“Willow bark,” she said conversationally, “It’s good for relieving pain.”

Serena nodded. That was fairly common knowledge. Her mother had taught her as much as a child as she mixed up drinks containing willow bark when her monthly pains were particularly bad.

“Would you like a drink?” the woman offered. “I think I’ve got some tea leaves in one of these pots.”

She dug around in a set of pots on a shelf before exclaiming with glee. “Ah! Here they are.”

Serena just watched in silence as the woman lit the fire and set a kettle on it.

“Won’t be long,” she said as she cleared the chair next to Serena and sat down next to her. “Why don’t you start by telling me your name?”

“Serena,” Serena said quietly, “Serena Campbell.”

“Of the Campbells of Wyvern Hall?”

Serena nodded. “You know of them?”

“Yes. The old Mrs Campbell was a frequent client of mine.”

Serena chuckled. “She did always have every ailment under the sun so that does make sense.”

The woman smiled at Serena, happy to have broken through her shell.

“And what is your name?” Serena asked. The laughter and the friendly demeanour of the woman had relaxed her and she began to interact more normally with her. Just like any other new acquaintance in town. Even though this woman was still dressed as a man and had a cottage full of goodness knows what.

The woman stuck out her hand towards Serena. “Berenice Wolfe. But I prefer Bernie. Nice to make your acquaintance.”

Serena took her hand and shook it once more. It was an odd gesture for a woman to make and now this woman, Bernie, had made it twice.

“Now, would you like to tell me why you have come all this way just to see me? It must be something important.”

Serena sighed and began to relate the sorry tale to Bernie. She told of the previous day and how Elinor had almost been snatched from her. Bernie reached out a hand towards her when she explained how she had pulled Elinor from the monster’s grip. She pulled back before making contact though and Serena found herself strangely disappointed not to feel the woman’s touch once more.

“I’ve never heard of anyone getting away from Jenny Greenteeth,” Bernie said. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

“Nor I,” Serena said, “But I did. At least I did then. There is more to my tale.”

She told Bernie of the strange events of the night. About how Elinor had woken screaming. About how Serena had dismissed it initially. About how she woke once more pointing at the window. About the strange wet handprint on the window ledge. About the figure, wrapped in green algae, that Serena had seen at the edge of the garden.

The kettle whistled just then and Bernie stood up and poured the tea. She handed a battered mug to Serena who accepted it gratefully before continuing with her tale.

Bernie sat quietly through the rest of the story. Only once Serena explained how she had gone into town to look for answers and been directed to her cottage did Bernie speak once more.

“That is a sorry tale Serena. I am so sorry that it is happening to you.”

Serena wiped a stray tear away from her eye and Bernie handed her a white handkerchief that she’d pulled out of a pocket in her jacket.

“It’s clean,” she promised as Serena took it dubiously and then wiped her eyes properly.

“So,” Serena said, “Do you think you will be able to help me? Help us?”

Bernie leant her head to one side. “I can’t make any promises. These events are new to me. But I can say that I will do everything I can to keep you and your daughter safe. Speaking of whom, is your daughter safe at this moment?”

“I believe her to be so,” Serena said, “I trust my manservant implicitly. And as for Essie, she has been unable to have children of her own and treats Elinor like a member of her own family. They would stop at nothing to keep Elinor from coming to harm.”

Bernie nodded. “That is good. I am glad you have people around you who care for you. Your husband passed many years ago, is that right?”

“Yes,” Serena said, “And good riddance to him. It has been much easier to survive upon his income since he isn’t here to drink or gamble it all away.”

Bernie looked away and Serena got the distinct impression that she was trying to hide a smile.

“Well,” Bernie said, turning back to Serena, “I think we can begin by putting some simple protections on your house, and on Elinor’s window in particular. Are you rested up enough to manage the journey back yet? It won’t take me long to gather my ingredients and we can walk back together.”

Serena nodded. “That cup of tea has freshened me right up, thank you Bernie. If we set off now we should be at my house before dark.”

Bernie nodded. “Yes. I should be able to get all the protections in place before night falls. If all goes to plan, I can make my way back here after that.”

Serena let out a cry at the thought of Bernie trekking all the way back to her little cottage in the pitch black. “I won’t hear of it,” she said, startling Bernie, “You must stay the night. It is the least I can do for you since you are helping Elinor. Let me pack you up an overnight bag.”

Bernie shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you for that. Plus I will need to be back to feed Cam, my dog.”

“Nonsense, bring Cam with you. Elinor loves dogs and I have never allowed her to have one. She’ll be yours forever if you let her play with Cam.”

A small smile graced Bernie’s features and Serena knew that she would acquiesce to her demands. “Fine. But I must leave early in the morning. It is harvest time for many of the plants I use at this time and I must spend much of the day gathering them before the frosts hit. They seem to get earlier and earlier each year.”

Serena smiled at her victory and didn’t even complain when Bernie found a second knapsack and filled it with a change of clothes as well as a few bottles of things that Serena couldn’t even imagine the purpose of.

Together, with Cam following diligently on behind, they began to descend the path towards town. They started in silence but it didn’t take much before Serena had coaxed Bernie into conversation. She was an adequate conversationalist, Serena thought, though clearly a little out of practice. She wondered whether Bernie had any friends, living so far out of town and only seen on market days on her stall. She was friendly enough though and full of knowledge about the plants that they passed.

“How on earth did you learn all of this?” Serena asked in amazement as Bernie pointed out yet another plant and listed its qualities and properties.

Bernie smiled. “My mother was very knowledgeable too. They used to call her a witch.”

Serena refrained from telling Bernie that that was exactly what the townspeople called her.

“Maybe she was a witch, I’m not sure, but she knew everything there was to know about plants and animals and how they all interacted. She taught me when I was small and after she passed, I continued to practice what she had taught me.”

“Did your father not mind?” Serena asked.

Bernie shrugged. “I never knew my father. My mother told me he had died before I was born but I never knew if that was true. Maybe he did, or maybe he left her. She was a proud woman and I’m not sure she would have admitted it if it were the case.”

Serena reached out an arm and patted Bernie on the shoulder. “It sounds like she was a wonderful mother.”

A smile flittered across Bernie’s features. “She was. I still miss her.”

The path down into town seemed much shorted on the descent, particularly with Bernie to chat to. Serena found herself liking the woman more and more. Her unusual childhood and odd lifestyle beside, they had a lot in common. Both appreciated family and nature. Neither could be bothered with the gossips in town. And both firmly believed that women were capable of anything men were. The time passed pleasantly and soon they could see town.

“Let’s cut round here, avoid the centre of town,” Bernie suggested, pointing out a sheep run that Serena had never noticed before.

“Embarrassed to be seen with me?” Serena teased but Bernie just ducked her head.

“The people in town don’t understand me. I don’t want to deal with their hostility today,” she said.

Serena followed Bernie on and soon they came to a stile. Bernie hopped over quickly and easily in her breeches and then she held out a hand to help Serena over. It was more challenging in skirts but Serena, accustomed to walks in the countryside, managed adequately. It was just nice to have her hand in Bernie’s once more. The more she found out about Bernie, the more she felt that they could become good friends.

The only worrying moment of the walk was when the path began to approach the river. This was the path that Serena had avoided in the morning for fear that Jenny Greenteeth would snatch her up in payment for rescuing Elinor. She trembled as the gently running waters came into view and Bernie stopped. Cam nudged up against Serena and she was grateful to be able to run her fingers through his soft fur.

“Are you quite well?” she asked, a concerned look on her face.

Serena nodded but it didn’t seem to satisfy Bernie.

“We can go the other way and avoid the river. It will take longer however and I’m concerned about getting to your house in good time before nightfall.”

Serena took a deep breath. “Yes. You are right. Let’s keep as much distance as is possible though please. I don’t want to tempt fate.”

Bernie nodded solemnly and they continued to walk. It took Serena a few minutes to notice that Bernie had switched to her other side so that she was between Serena and the river. A rush of gratitude flooded her but she said nothing. Even in their brief acquaintance, she didn’t feel like Bernie was the type of person to appreciate the outpouring of gratitude that she felt.

The sun was beginning to dip in the sky as they reached the house. Elinor was sat at the window, peering out. She waved madly as they approached and Sacha appeared at the door to let them in.

“Mrs Campbell, it’s good to see you back safely,” he said, “And who, pray tell, is this?”

Quick introductions were made and Sacha ushered them both into the kitchen where Essie was busy making stew. The delicious smell made Serena’s stomach rumble and only then did she realise that she had eaten nothing since breakfast. The cup of tea at Bernie’s, while very welcome, was not filling in itself, and she began to feel very weak.

Bernie seemed to have a sixth sense about her feelings and guided her into a chair.

“Do you have something quick Mrs Campbell can eat?” she asked Essie, “I’m afraid she missed lunch and with all the walking we have done, she must be famished! An apple or something to keep her going until dinner?”

Essie, not at all bothered by the presence of this strange, blunt woman, immediately went to grab some food from the pantry. She came back bearing a bowl full of pears.

“Fresh from the orchard this afternoon,” she said as she placed the bowl in front of Serena. “You have one now and I’ll make the others up into a pie for tomorrow.”

Serena gratefully reached for a pear and bit into it, the sweet juices running down her chin. Elinor, who had immediately made friends with Cam, stood and took one for herself.

“Don’t you go spoiling your dinner now Miss Elinor!” Essie warned but Elinor just grinned as she ate her pear.

Having seen Serena right, Bernie had turned and pulled some jars out of her bag.

“Will you show me Elinor’s room?” she asked Sacha, “I’d like to get started before we eat.”

Serena felt a strange disappointment that she was not the one to show Bernie around the house but she knew in her heart that she was just too tired and too hungry to do it justice. Bernie was in better hands with Sacha, and therefore Elinor was in better hands. Elinor being safe came above anything else she might be feeling. Friendship with Bernie could come afterwards.

By the time Bernie returned, the jars empty, Essie was just dishing up the stew. There were thick slices of crusty bread to go with it. Essie placed two bowls on a tray and began to carry them through to the formal dining room.

Serena looked at the tray in confusion. “Who are they for?” she asked.

Essie was the one to look confused now. “Why, you and Miss Elinor of course ma’am!”

“What about Bernie?”

Essie blushed, now realising she may have made a mistake. “I thought she would be eating with us in the kitchen.”

Serena shook her head firmly. “Bernie is not a tradesman. Come on Elinor.”

She picked up a bowl of stew and began to walk towards the dining room.

“Can’t I stay here with Cam?” Elinor whined. She was still sat on the floor next to the fire, her hands buried deep in Cam’s fur.

Serena looked at her daughter. Elinor seemed content and it would give her more of a chance to talk to Bernie without interruption. She felt warm at the notion of having Bernie all to herself so she put the bowl back on the table for Elinor and nodded. Then she gestured at Essie and stalked off to the dining room. All Essie and Bernie could do was follow her through.

Serena picked up the extra bowl from Essie’s tray and placed it down right next to her place, pulling back the chair. She indicated to Bernie and Bernie obediently sat down. There was something strangely rigid about Bernie in this room. Her back was straight and her eyes faced forward. Serena thought that she might not notice that anything was wrong except for the fact that she had spent much of the day dealing with a relaxed Bernie in her natural environment. Was Bernie uncomfortable in the formal dining room she wondered? She thought back to what Bernie’s cottage looked like, the rustic, messy approach and how she’d grown up there with just her mother. Presumably that was how Bernie had always lived. Had she ever even been in a grand house like Wyvern Hall before? Would she have had any need? Maybe to treat a patient but then that would have been via the tradesman’s entrance and straight up to the bedroom of the patient. Any food would have been eaten in the kitchen with the servants.

Serena mentally kicked herself as she realised that she had treated Bernie like any one of her other friends who all lived the same way she did. Bernie was clearly uncomfortable in such formal settings.

“How is your food?” she asked, trying to settle her.

Bernie smiled a weak smile. “It is very good. You must pass the complements on to Essie. She is very talented in the kitchen. It has been a long time since I have eaten something so delicious.”

Serena relaxed as she saw Bernie relax. Asking about the food had been a good move. Food was something they could all talk about, since they all had to partake at some point.

“Do you cook your own meals?” she asked, curious about how Bernie lived.

Bernie nodded. “Yes. I catch my own meat on the moor and grow vegetables in the garden. They make filling meals, but not so fine as this. I must find out what Essie has added.”

Serena was taken aback by the thought of Bernie hunting her own meat. Even though she had seen her that morning with a rifle slung over a shoulder, she had assumed it was just there for protection. There was always rumours of wolves and bears up on the moor, and while Serena had always thought the rumours were just rumours, maybe Bernie knew different. She’d never come across a woman who hunted before though. Growing vegetables was one thing. She knew that Essie kept up a kitchen garden full of vegetables. While Sacha did the heavy digging, it was Essie that planted and cared for the growing plants, with Elinor helping of course.

Bernie must have sensed her shock. “My cures do not sell well enough for me to buy meat at the butchers. If I wish to eat well, I have to get my own meat. Rabbits are not so hard to trap and pheasants are very bad at hiding so they are easy as well.”

Serena nodded. “We all must do what we must to survive. I can’t judge you for any of that since you are helping me. But have you never thought of marrying? You are a striking woman, surely some man would be happy to marry you and keep you. It would save you struggling away up on the moors.”

Bernie visibly shuddered and Serena sensed she had made another mistake. It was difficult, befriending someone so different to yourself.

“I have never wished to marry. Men do not…they do not interest me.”

Serena laughed. “Oh I understand you there. Men are such bores. It is a pity that we are expected to marry in order to live.”

“Your marriage?” Bernie asked.

“Edward was kind to start with. He was a good match, so my parents told me. He was rich and from a good family. As a youth, he was quite handsome as well. I could scarce believe it when he began courting me and I willingly accepted his proposal. We married quickly and Elinor followed along about a year later. It was at that point that he changed. He began visiting the local public house with some of his friends. At first I did not mind. He was happy and I had a chance to bond with my daughter. We had a nanny and when Edward was home, he would send Elinor and the nanny up to the nursery for the whole day. I would never see them. So Edward being out of the house allowed me to spend time with Elinor. But he began drinking more and more. He’d come home late at night, shouting and hollering. It was enough to wake the dead. It was definitely enough to wake Elinor.”

Bernie grimaced in sympathy.

“He became violent. He never hurt either me or Elinor but he’d break things. I’d come downstairs in the morning to find smashed plates and mugs littering the floor, or a chair with its legs pulled off. Or on one memorable occasion, my mother’s sewing box sitting on the grass outside the broken parlour window.”

Bernie reached out a hand to Serena and laid a single finger gently on the back of her hand. Serena turned her hand over and grasped Bernie’s fingers, taking comfort from her.

“The drinking got to him eventually,” Serena explained. “He died soon after Elinor’s second birthday. If I’m glad of one thing, its that Elinor was too young to remember her father. And also that he didn’t drink away all his money. We have enough to live comfortably on. We had to let all the servants except Essie and Sacha go but that hasn’t mattered too much. I’ve learnt to help out over the years and the house has become a joyful place again.”

“I’m glad,” Bernie said. “And you never thought about marrying again?”

“Well I can’t say that I haven’t thought about it,” Serena said, “I’ve had a few offers over the years but they have all been from men who think I can’t manage alone. I don’t think any of them were marrying me out of love. And I don’t need them. I have everything here that I could need and an income to support me and Elinor for the rest of our years.”

“Then you understand where I am coming from with not marrying,” Bernie said, “I too can manage without a husband and I don’t want to share my life with anyone that I do not love.”

Serena nodded. “I understand.”

Once they had finished their meal, Serena guided Bernie into her private sitting room. She knelt down and lit the fire that Essie had set earlier in the day.

Bernie didn’t sit straight away but instead wandered over to the large bookcase and began scanning the titles.

“You have a lot of books here,” she said, her fingers running over the spines.

“I do. There are more in the library as well. But these ones are my favourites.”

There were some titles that were familiar to Bernie, recently published fiction and some books about the local wildlife. There were also some less usual titles for a woman to have including ones on keeping horses and managing money. It was clear that Serena had taken on the role of lord of the manor since her husband’s death.

Once the fire was roaring away in the hearth, Serena sat on the sofa and patted the space next to her. Bernie joined her, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the plushly upholstered seat. It made a change from sitting on one of her hard, wooden chairs in front of her stove.

“So,” Serena began, “What is your plan for keeping Elinor safe?”

“Well I’ve made a start on protecting the house from all manner of supernatural beings. The work I did on Elinor’s room before dinner should keep anything nefarious out of her room. I’d like to set up some protections in the rest of the house and around it’s perimeter before we sleep. I’ll monitor the situation overnight and decide on whether they need strengthening after that.”

Serena nodded. “You can have my room if you like. I shall spend the night in with Elinor, just in case.”

Bernie shook her head. “I cannot take your room from you. I will be fine here. This sofa is much comfier than my usual bunk.”

“I am not letting a friend of mine spend the night on this sofa,” Serena said, outraged at the thought. “You will take my room. And anyway, from a more practical standpoint, it is close to Elinor’s if you are needed in the night and it has a good view out over the garden towards the river.”

Bernie, aware that she was not going to win this argument, relented and nodded. “Yes. That does sound sensible.”

“Good. I’m glad we are in agreement. Now if you will excuse me, I will go and put Elinor to bed.”

Bernie stood as Serena left the room and Serena got the distinct impression of a gentleman standing to see his lady out of the room. She wondered if Bernie always acted the gentleman in all situations.

Elinor was practically asleep in the kitchen, her head resting on Cam’s warm stomach as he sat on the rag rug by the fire.

“Everything alright ma’am?” Essie asked.

“Yes. Everything is fine. Please can you make a bed up for me in Elinor’s room for tonight?” Serena asked. “Bernie will take my room.”

Essie nodded.

“I’ll put Elinor to bed and return downstairs to tell you of the current situation.”

Serena scooped a sleepy Elinor up in her arms. Cam whimpered slightly as Elinor was taken from him but he settled down again.

“Has he been fed?” Serena enquired of Essie.

“I gave him some of the beef from the stew. I hope that was alright.”

“Of course. I’m glad he’s been fed.”

Serena held Elinor close as she climbed the stairs. Elinor was getting quite large now and it wouldn’t be much longer before it would be impossible for her to do this. She relished carrying her little girl while she could.

She undressed Elinor and put her into her nightdress. Elinor woke while Serena was washing her face and complained about the scratchiness of the cloth.

“How about I tell you a story?” Serena said once she’d tucked a grouchy Elinor into her bed.

Elinor’s eyes lit up. “Yes please mother. Tell the one about the haunted house!”

Serena shuddered. “Not tonight. We can do without the nightmares you have when I tell that story. Tonight I’ll tell you a tale of Robin Hood. Nothing scary in that story.”

Heading back down the stairs, she passed Essie carrying up a pile of bedding.

“I’ll just make up your bed and then I will be back downstairs,” Essie said.

Serena went to the sitting room to find Bernie but found that she had already left the room. She was confused for a moment before hearing the quiet murmur of conversation coming from the kitchen. There she found Bernie sitting at the table talking to Sacha, Cam’s head resting on her lap.

“There you are!” she exclaimed.

Bernie looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to check on Cam.”

Serena settled herself on the chair next to Bernie. “That’s quite alright. Is his care up to your standards?”

Bernie smiled. “He is being very well taken care of. It’s been a long time since he’s had such a fuss made of him. I hope he doesn’t come to expect it. I don’t want a spoiled dog!”

“I told you Elinor would love him. He’s welcome round here anytime.”

Essie soon reappeared in the kitchen and Serena and Bernie filled both Essie and Sacha in on what they were planning on doing to protect Elinor and the house.

“Is there anything we can help with?” Sacha asked.

Bernie shook her head. “Other than keeping your eyes and ears open for anything strange, and letting me know, I’m not sure that there is anything else you can do. Hopefully this will sort the problem but I cannot know until we try.”

It was cold in Elinor’s room. The fire had long since died down and Serena lay amongst the blankets on the floor wishing that she was in her own, warm room. Her mind kept drifting towards Bernie laid there in that same room, in Serena’s own bed. It was strange to think of someone else in her bed. No one else, besides Elinor, had slept in that bed since Edward had passed. And it wasn’t like Edward had spent many nights there himself, preferring his own space. There was a strange part of Serena that she didn’t understand that wished that she was there in bed with Bernie, with Bernie’s warm body there next to her. She thought it must just be due to the cold in the room. She pulled the blankets closer around her and tried to fall asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

She must have succeeded in falling asleep because the next thing she knew was Elinor sitting up in bed screaming. She leapt to her side and wrapped her arms around the girl.

“Elinor, it’s alright,” she murmured into her ear, trying to calm her down.

The door creaked open and both of them jumped. But at the door was Bernie carrying a candle. The weak light lit the bedroom only dimly but it calmed their racing hearts.

Bernie stepped forward. “Is Elinor well?” she asked, her voice calm.

Serena pulled back from her daughter to look at Bernie properly. “She is.”

Elinor was looking much better. The rapid intervention of her mother and Bernie seemed to have calmed her sufficiently and she was now yawning. Serena kissed her on the forehead and laid her back down. In no time at all Elinor was sleeping again.

Serena stood up and walked over to Bernie, pointing out into the corridor. Bernie followed her and pulled the door to behind her, leaving a crack so that they would hear if Elinor awoke again.

“Did you see anything?” Bernie asked.

Serena shook her head. “No, nothing. Do you think it was just a nightmare this time?”

Bernie shrugged and Serena tried not to get lost in how the movement made the candlelight catch her hair.

“Maybe. I’m going to have a look around outside though. Just to check.”

“Should I wake Sacha and get him to go with you?” Serena asked.

Bernie shook her head. “I’ll take Cam. And my gun. I’ll be fine.”

This didn’t exactly reassure Serena very much but there was nothing she could do to stop her. Instead she took up vigil by the window in Elinor’s room and watched as Bernie and Cam walked out of the house and into the garden. Bernie was only lit by a lamp she had placed in the window and Serena found it quite hard to keep track of her. They walked the perimeter of the garden, Cam sniffing away at the undergrowth, and went out of sight round the other side of the house. Serena was torn between staying with Elinor and finding another window to continue watching Bernie. The lamplight cast strange shadows in the garden and made the whole scene even more creepy than usual. She shivered, not sure if it was from the cold or not.

An owl hooted in the distance and startled Serena. She had to clamp her hand over her mouth not to let out a scream and wake Elinor. She shook herself. This whole thing was silly. Bernie knew what she was doing, there was no need to worry about her.

Then barking broke the silence of the night. A lot of barking. It could only be Cam.

Without thinking, Serena stood and ran down the stairs, not even stopping to put on shoes. She sped out over the grass in the direction of the barking, the blanket round her shoulders billowing out like a cape behind her. She could see nothing as she rounded the side of the house, just darkness, the lamp not shining on this side. Still she ran, not thinking about herself at all. Her stockinged feet were sopping wet from the dew but she didn’t care about anything other than getting to Bernie and saving her from whatever lurked out there in the darkness.

Suddenly she ran into something with a thump. She opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped across it. She fought back against the grip, trying to scratch her way out of the hold, until Bernie’s voice whispered in her ear.

“Serena, it’s just me.”

Serena slumped against Bernie and all her emotions hit her at once. The fear, the cold and the worry were all too much. Tears began to run down her face and she buried her head into Bernie’s torso to muffle the sobs. Strong arm wrapped themselves around her and hands rubbed up and down her back, calming her.

The sobs slowly ceased and Serena took a few deep breaths before lifting her head. The feel of Bernie’s arms around her was nice and she didn’t step away from her.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

Bernie just reached one had up to her face and wiped the tears away.

“Let’s talk inside,” Bernie whispered back.

Keeping one arm wrapped around Serena’s shoulders, Bernie led the way back to the house. Cam snuffled at Serena’s side and she ran a hand through his fur.

Bernie sat Serena down at the table in the kitchen and lit the fire.

“I think we need a warm drink after all that,” she said.

Cam flung himself down on the rug by the fire and promptly fell asleep.

Serena shivered, the effects of her dash across the garden now beginning to show. Bernie turned from the fire and noticed the shivering.

“Come, let’s get you out of those wet stockings,” she said.

Serena moved to stand but Bernie put a hand on her knee to stop her and knelt down at her feet. One at a time, she ran her hands up Serena’s legs and peeled the stockings down. Serena forgot to breathe. The feel of Bernie’s hands on such an intimate part of her body sent tingles up her legs. Bernie paused once the stockings were off, her hand still holding onto Serena’s foot. She began gently massaging her sole and up her calf, rubbing heat back into her cold limbs.

“Bernie…” Serena breathed.

Bernie lifted her head and her eyes caught on Serena’s. Everything seemed to stop for a moment until Bernie gave her a small smile and ducked her head. She picked up Serena’s other foot and continued her ministrations.

It was only once Bernie’s hands had left her skin that Serena could think in a straight line again.

“What did you see? Outside?” she asked as Bernie settled herself into the chair next to hers. “Is Elinor in danger?”

Bernie shook her head. “Elinor is in no danger tonight. My protections have held.”

Serena breathed a sigh of relief. “So it’s over?”

There was a pained expression on Bernie’s face when she looked over at her.

“Not exactly.”

Serena steeled herself for Bernie’s explanation.

“I saw her,” Bernie said, “I saw Jenny Greenteeth. Standing just outside the garden. She looked like she was trying to get in but there was an invisible barrier that she couldn’t pass. My protections, I think.”

Serena gasped. “She was there? So close?”

Bernie shuffled in her chair until her leg bumped Serena’s. The warm flesh was reassuring.

“She couldn’t get in. And Cam’s barking seemed to bother her so she went away. Back to the river I presume.”

Serena let the news sink in. She’d really hoped that Bernie’s protections would have removed the danger entirely.

“How long do you think the protections will hold?” she asked, nervous to hear the answer.

Bernie grimaced. “I cannot tell you. They should be strong enough for the rest of the night but I cannot guarantee they will last even one more night. The fact that Jenny Greenteeth could still sense Elinor’s presence through them, and approach the boundary, suggests she is a lot stronger than I had thought.”

Breathing became suddenly challenging for Serena. The thought that Elinor was still in such danger was too much for her to cope with. She gasped in short, shallow breaths as her panic rose.

Bernie’s hand landed gently on her back. “Breathe with me Serena,” she said, breathing deeply and calmly. She lifted one of Serena’s hands onto her chest. “Feel my breathing and breathe with me.”

Slowly, Serena found herself calming. She concentrated on matching Bernie’s breaths as best she could. She closed her eyes so she could focus better, just the feel of Bernie’s hand on her back, rubbing in time with her breathing, and her hand on Bernie’s chest. The world seemed to shrink down to just the two of them. A warmth came over her and she opened her eyes to find Bernie staring back at her, eyes ablaze with an emotion that Serena could not name.

“Are you feeling better?” Bernie said, not removing her hand from Serena’s back.

Serena nodded. “Yes thank you.”

She reluctantly lifted her hand from Bernie’s chest and Bernie slowly lifted hers from Serena’s back.

“I have a plan,” Bernie offered, once they were both seated back in their chairs.

Serena wasn’t sure whether she was imagining it or not but Bernie seemed even closer than before. It was like the whole side of her body was now pressed against Bernie’s.

“A plan?” she asked, too busy thinking about Bernie’s proximity to remember what it was that they had been conversing about before.

“For keeping Jenny Greenteeth away. Permanently.”

“Oh.”

Guilt rushed through Serena. How could she have forgotten that the entire purpose of having Bernie here was to keep Elinor safe? What kind of mother spent her time thinking about a new friend rather than her own child’s wellbeing?

“There is a ritual I read about once that I think might break the link,” Bernie continued, “It’s a deeper kind of magic than I usually work with but it might be the only thing that will help. Are you willing to let me try?”

Serena nodded at once. “Of course. Anything to help Elinor.”

“I’ll need to go back to my cottage to gather some supplies and find the ritual. I think it’s in one of my mother’s books. I’ll leave at first light and return before nightfall to renew the protections. Will you be alright here for the day?”

Serena nodded but inside she felt strangely bereft at the idea of a day without Bernie. She shook herself internally though. She’d only known Bernie for a few short hours. Of course she would be able to cope without her for a day.

“Then let us see if we can manage a few more hours of sleep before dawn,” Bernie said.

She stood and held out her hand to Serena to pull her to her feet. Then, without letting go of Serena’s hand, she led her upstairs.

“You should take your bed back,” Bernie said once they had ascended, “Elinor will be fine now until morning and you need to rest properly. I’ll go back down and sleep by the kitchen fire.”

Reflexively, Serena gripped Bernie’s hand tighter. “No, stay.”

She didn’t understand her feelings entirely but she knew for certain that she wanted Bernie close to her. The idea of her sleeping downstairs in the kitchen was abhorrent. The image that had flittered through her mind earlier of sharing a bed with Bernie had settled in her mind now and she wasn’t letting go.

She pushed open the door to her own room. In the dull candlelight she could see that Bernie had left the bed in a hurry. The bedclothes were half falling off the bed.

“Stay,” she repeated, tugging Bernie into the room and closing the door behind them.

Bernie just nodded, awe spreading across her face.

“We’ll keep each other warm,” Serena said by way of explanation.

She climbed into her bed, pulling the bedclothes across the bed as she moved. She patted the space next to her and Bernie slid under the covers on the other side. Their feet touched for a moment as Bernie laid herself down and pulled the blankets over both of them.

It was deliciously warm, lying there with Bernie beside her. They didn’t touch but Serena could feel her heat radiating across the bed and hear her breathing as it slowed and settled as Bernie slipped into sleep. Feeling calm and cared for, Serena soon joined her.


	5. Chapter 5

Bernie was gone when Serena woke, her side of the bed cold. She dressed and went downstairs to breakfast. Elinor was already downstairs complaining that Cam was not there.

“Bernie had to leave early this morning,” Essie was explaining, “But she’ll be back later with Cam.”

Serena slipped into the kitchen and sat herself down at the table. Essie placed a bowl of porridge in front of her and Serena ate it slowly. She wasn’t really hungry at all, her stomach tied in knots, but she tried to pretend everything was normal. She didn’t want anyone worrying about her.

She spent the rest of the day trying to distract herself from Bernie’s absence. What was it that she used to do with her days before Bernie? And how could someone turn your life upside down in just one day?

Elinor was her usual cheery self. She didn’t seem to remember her second night of night terrors and just wanted to play outside in the sun. Despite the brightness of the day, Serena didn’t feel comfortable letting her outside of the strong walls of the house so she instead settled her to some drawing at the kitchen table while she helped Essie sort out the pantry ready for winter’s approach.

Her mind kept drifting towards Bernie though, wondering what she was doing at that moment. Would she be back before dark? Serena hoped so. She couldn’t tell you whether she was worried about Bernie herself or just that she needed Bernie to renew the protections on the house before nightfall.

Later, while Essie got Elinor helping with some baking, she tried to sit and read a book but even though her eyes followed the text across the page, her mind was not willing to take any of the words in. She gave it up as a bad job after a while and tossed the book aside. She stood and stared out of the window, looking out towards the path Bernie would surely take on her return.

She paced the floor of her sitting room nervously as the afternoon wore on, now convinced that something horrific had happened to Bernie. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Serena began to feel weary, the worry and the lack of sleep over the past couple of nights catching up with her. She sat herself down on the sofa and leant her head back against the cushion, trying not to imagine what danger Bernie had got herself into. Soon though, despite all the worrying, she drifted off to sleep.

She woke to Bernie’s hand gently combing through her hair.

“Serena?” she whispered as Serena’s eyes opened slowly.

A gentle smile crossed Serena’s features. “Bernie.”

Seeing that Serena was now awake, Bernie’s hand stilled in her hair and she withdrew it. Serena found herself following Bernie’s hand, chasing the sensation. She stopped herself as soon as she realised and rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself properly.

Bernie seemed to glow and for a moment Serena thought she was still dreaming until she realised that the glowing was due to the fire, roaring away in the hearth. The lamp on the side table flickered and Serena realised it must be late.

She stood suddenly, panicked. “The protections!”

Bernie reached for her, a hand snaking into her own. “All renewed Serena,” she said, “It was the first thing I did after I got back.”

Serena sagged back down onto the sofa. “Thank you Bernie. How long was I asleep?”

Bernie shrugged her shoulders, a gesture that would have looked odd on any other woman but not one wearing men’s clothes to begin with. “You were fast asleep when I returned around an hour ago. I just came in to wake you as Essie has made supper.”

Abandoning the formal setting of the previous night, they all ate together in the kitchen, basking in the warmth of the fire. The weather outside seemed to have turned for the worse with rain beginning to fall and wind rattling the windows.

“I’ll go and check on the horses once we’ve finished,” Sacha commented, looking out of the window. “Make sure they have plenty of hay to keep them warm through whatever this storm throughs at us. Looks like it might be a bad one.”

Bernie entertained them for the rest of the evening getting Cam to show off his tricks. He was thrilled at the attention, and the chunks of meat thrown his way when he did as he was bade. It was jolly evening all things considered, and they managed to ignore the building storm outside.

Once Elinor was in bed, Sacha and Bernie pulled on galoshes and jackets and went to do one last check around the house and garden. They returned soaked to the skin and allowed Serena and Essie to strip them of their sodden outer layers. Essie rubbed up and down Sacha’s now bared arms to warm him and Serena tried not to think about doing the same to Bernie who was now warming herself in front of the fire.

“River level’s rising,” Sacha said, “Hope it doesn’t break its banks.”

Serena shuddered. It had been many years since the river had flooded but she remembered the last time, the water lapping at the front step as though trying to get in. They were high enough up above the flood plain that the house had never in all its years flooded but just the thought was bad enough.

As the evening wore on, Essie and Sacha took themselves off to bed leaving Serena and Bernie alone in front of the dying fire. It was then that Serena realised that she hadn’t spoken to Bernie yet of her day.

“Bernie, did you manage to find the book, the one with the ritual?”

“Yes.”

Bernie stood and went to fetch her knapsack from beside the door. She pulled out a book and laid it on the table.

“Here,” she said, flicking through until she found the right page, “Severing of the unholy nexus”

Serena peered at the page, struggling to read the old fashioned language it was written in.

“And this will stop Jenny Greenteeth going after Elinor?” she asked.

“I hope so,” Bernie said and Serena looked up at her.

“Hope?” she said. She’d really wanted Bernie to be more certain of this.

Bernie fixed her with an intense stare. “Hope is all we have, Serena. But I do trust this book. My mother passed it down to me and her mother to her. It is as ancient as the wind and the spells and rituals have been used many times in the past with much success.”

Serena sighed. Bernie was right, this was all they had. Of course they must try everything within their power to save Elinor.

“What do we need to do?”

“Well the spell is performed at midnight under a full moon. There are a few ingredients we needed, I brought most of them with me from my cottage but there were a couple I was missing. We will need to find them first. Then there are some words to say while we burn them. We bury the ashes at the four corners of the house and that should be enough to break whatever supernatural bond it is that lies between Jenny Greenteeth and your daughter. It’s quite a straightforward one really.”

“And when is the next full moon?” Serena asked.

“Tomorrow night,” Bernie said. “So there will be quite a lot to arrange tomorrow but then the threat should be gone and I can leave you in peace.”

Conflicting emotions tore through Serena at that news. Because of course she wanted Elinor to be safe, and knowing that they could have managed that by the next night was a relief on a scale she had never known before. But then Bernie leaving, and heading back to her little cottage rather than being here with Serena was a terrible thought. Even the knowledge that she would see Bernie on market days wasn’t the same as having her here, next to her.

Bernie peered at her. “Are you feeling quite alright? Maybe you should get some sleep.”

It should have been reassuring but now all Serena could think about was having Bernie back in her bed. Just her presence in the bed the night before had relaxed her and she could think about nothing she wanted more in that moment.

“Maybe we should,” she said.

She stood and took Bernie’s hand, pulling her to her feet. Bernie let herself be tugged along, out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Serena’s bedroom.

“I don’t have to stay here tonight,” Bernie said as they crossed the threshold, “I can stay downstairs, I truly don’t mind.”

“I do,” was Serena’s only comment. It seemed to satisfy Bernie though and she made no more protest.

They silently, with backs to each other, changed into their nightclothes. Serena washed her face in the basin Essie had laid out for her before standing aside to let Bernie do the same.

She slipped under the blankets and Bernie followed her, stretching out her long limbs and yawning. They lay there in the dark beside each other, neither one moving. Serena could hear Bernie’s breathing beside her as the storm continued outside the window. The rain lashed against the window and the wind whipped up the trees, making a racket. Thunder and lightning crashed across the sky. Usually Serena didn’t mind storms but with the events of the past few days, they were another thing making her feel uneasy and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself in an attempt to protect and calm herself.

As if sensing Serena’s distress, Bernie rolled onto her side and wriggled closer to Serena in the bed. Slowly, watching Serena’s face carefully in the gloom, she moved closer and closer and pulled Serena into her arms.

Serena felt her heartrate drop instantly. She rolled onto her side and buried her head in Bernie’s chest. Bernie held her closer, one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head, fingers gently rubbing circles into her skin. Serena felt herself calming despite the sounds of the storm getting worse and before she knew it, she fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

She woke to find Bernie stood by the door pulling on her clothes. It was still pitch black and the storm was worse than ever.

“Bernie?” she asked, blearily rubbing her eyes.

“Nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep,” Bernie said before slipping out of the door.

Sleep was not forthcoming though. Serena lay there on her own in a bed that had never before felt so big and cold. She could hear distant muffled voices and assumed Bernie was talking to either Essie or Sacha, maybe both. Then she heard footsteps on the stairs. Many footsteps. As though multiple people were running up and down the stairs.

Confused, and wide awake now anyway, Serena pulled a shawl over her nightdress and went to see what was going on.

Sure enough, she found Essie, Sacha and Bernie all coming up the stairs towards her. They were all carrying boxes, their faces lit up in the light of a lamp they’d left at the head of the stairs.

“What…” Serena began and then she saw behind them, at the foot of the stairs. The hallway was covered in water.

“River burst its banks,” Sacha said as he carried a box past her to the spare room at the end of the corridor.

“Thought we’d grab what we could before it gets any worse,” Essie said. Her box was open and Serena could see it was full of books from her sitting room.

“Let me help,” Serena said, taking the box off Essie, “They’re my possessions after all, I should be the one rescuing them.”

Bernie looked reluctant to let Serena help but she couldn’t exactly stop her. Together, the four of them cleared many of the valuables from the ground floor and stored them safely on the upper floor of the house.

The water was still rising. When Serena had first got up it was only around an inch deep across the ground floor but within an hour it was more like a foot. Serena hitched up her nightdress, baring far more leg than she ever had in public before, and continued to grab what she could. She couldn’t bear the idea of losing all her possessions in this flood.

She was just carrying a set of wine glasses along the hallway towards the stairs when there was a knocking at the door. The shock of it almost made her drop the glasses. She looked around to find Sacha and Bernie behind her. They looked as confused as her. Who on earth was knocking on their door in this weather? They must have waded through waist high water just to reach the door.

Sacha pointed at the stairs and Bernie pushed Serena towards them. She didn’t need telling twice. She ascended the stairs quickly and stopped at the top, resting her box of wine glasses on the top of the bannister. From there she could see the front door.

Sacha and Bernie had both put down their boxes on a table in the hallway and Bernie had retrieved their guns. There was no guarantee that the person on the other side of the door was friendly. Positioning themselves carefully, guns pointed towards the door, Sacha gingerly unlocked the door and then reached for the doorknob to open it.

It took some effort to get the door open with the water swirling round it but they did manage it. With the door open, the sound of the storm was even worse. Serena couldn’t remember seeing, or hearing, weather like it. She shivered involuntarily as a gust of bitterly cold air shot through the door and up the stairs.

The light from the lamp at the top of the stairs just about reached the doorway. Bending down and peering past Sacha and Bernie, Serena could see nothing. Neither could they, evidently, as Sacha stepped outside for a better look, Bernie following, her rifle raised and ready to be fired.

Then, all of a sudden, they both ran back inside and pushed the door closed, locking it firmly. Sacha was breathing heavily and there was a worried expression across Bernie’s face. It worsened as she saw Serena watching them from the top of the stairs.

Serena opened her mouth to speak but Bernie raised a finger to her lips. The words died on Serena’s lips. Whatever they had seen, they clearly didn’t want it to hear them.

Slowly, making barely a sound even in the rapidly rising flood waters, Bernie and Sacha retrieved their boxes and crept up the stairs. They passed Serena at the top and pointed towards the spare room. Serena followed them there.

“What did you see?” she asked.

Essie lit the lamp in the room and now Serena could see how white Sacha and Bernie’s faces were.

“What did you see?” she repeated, getting more frantic now. It must have been bad to scare both Sacha and Bernie this much. They were the bravest people she knew.

Bernie was the one who answered. “Jenny Greenteeth,” she whispered, “She’s broken through the protections.”

Serena gasped. Her legs felt suddenly weak and she stumbled. Bernie’s strong arms caught her and set her down on the spare bed.

“She won’t be able to get inside though?” Serena asked, desperately, “She won’t be able to get to Elinor?”

Bernie didn’t answer.

Serena felt nauseous. She’d thought all of this was over and yet it seemed that Jenny Greenteeth had some tricks up her sleeve.

“You don’t think…” she said, “The storm…”

Bernie caught her meaning quickly. “There is no documentation of the extent of her powers. All I know is that I have never seen a storm like this one. I cannot rule out supernatural involvement.”

“Not in living memory,” Essie whispered, sitting down next to Serena on the bed, “What else could it be than Jenny Greenteeth? Maybe it was the only way she could break through the protections.”

Serena shivered and felt Essie next to her do the same. Sacha was pacing around the room, rifle at the ready, looking unsure as to what to do next.

“Should we wake Elinor?” Serena asked, “Is she going to be in danger?”

Bernie placed a reassuring hand on Serena’s shoulder. “Not yet. I’m going to go and check downstairs once more, make sure everything is as secure as possible and figure out the lay of the land. Don’t do anything until I return.”

She nodded at Sacha who nodded back.

“I’ll wait in the corridor,” he said, shouldering his rifle and stepping out of the room after Bernie. He left the door ajar and Serena could see him pacing along the corridor between Elinor’s room and the spare room they were sat in.

Essie slipped an arm around Serena. “It’ll be alright,” she said, not sounding convinced herself.

It seemed like an eternity before they heard Bernie ascending the stairs once more. She had a brief, inaudible conversation with Sacha and then she approached the spare room.

“The water’s still rising,” she said, trying to keep all emotion from her voice, “And I can see her in the garden trying to get in the house.”

Serena took some deep breaths and attempted to control her breathing. She wanted to scream and shout and run away but none of that was sensible. They were trapped here now, under siege in a house rapidly being drowned by the river. Panic rose in her throat and she barely even registered Bernie approaching and gripping her hand.

Just then there was a crash downstairs, a sound of breaking glass, and Serena could hold her scream in no longer. Bernie reached for her and pressed her face into her chest, muffling the worst of the sound. Then they heard the sound of Cam barking from Elinor’s room. Elinor was awake.


	7. Chapter 7

The only thought on Serena’s mind was getting to Elinor. She pushed Bernie aside and ran down the corridor, almost slipping on all the wet footprints they’d left on the floorboards. She pushed open the door to find Elinor crying in her bed, her arms wrapped around Cam’s warm body.

“Mamma,” she cried, using a word she had long since grown out of.

Serena reached her and swept her up in her arms, holding her tightly, whispering reassurance that she didn’t feel herself.

She jumped when another hand landed on her back. She turned and found Bernie there.

“I think we’d better start moving up to the attic,” Bernie said in a calm voice.

Serena gaped at her. “Surely we are safe here.”

“Water’s rising fast. And I don’t know how far she can take herself from the water. I’d feel better if everyone was higher up, out of harm’s way.”

Elinor whimpered against her mother’s chest, not understanding what was happening. Serena stood, her daughter in her arms, and Bernie grabbed a couple of the blankets off the bed, wrapping them round the pair of them.

Cam followed them out of the room. Sacha was already there in the hallway, pushing open the trapdoor into the attic while balanced on a chair. He gave a tug and a ladder slid out and landed at Serena’s feet.

Serena placed Elinor down at the foot of the ladder.

“You’ll have to climb yourself darling,” she said, giving Elinor a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Elinor whimpered once more and shook her head. Serena felt tears running down her cheeks. How was she going to persuade a terrified Elinor up the ladder.

“Go on love, I’ll be right behind,” she tried but Elinor just stood stock still at the bottom, staring up into the darkness and crying.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got her,” Bernie said, placing her hands on Serena’s waist to move her aside. Serena immediately bent to Bernie’s will and let her passed to reach her daughter.

Bernie picked Elinor up in one smooth movement and placed her over her shoulder. She held her tightly with one arm and used the other one to climb the ladder, placing Elinor down at the top.

“Now wait just one second and I’ll bring Cam up to keep you company,” she promised Elinor, who’d stopped crying in shock the moment she was picked up.

Bernie was as good as her word. She picked Cam up the same way and deposited him in the attic as well. Through the gloom, Serena could just see Elinor wrap her arms around Cam.

“Now you,” Bernie said to Serena.

For just a moment Serena thought that Bernie meant to pick her up and carry her the same way but Bernie just stepped away from the ladder and let her climb herself. Serena couldn’t work out if she was relieved or disappointed by that. Still, she reached the top of the ladder and climbed out onto the floor of the attic.

It was pitch black up there, with only a small window at one end giving any light at all. Essie soon climbed up the ladder though bearing a lamp. It lit up the space nicely and showed Serena all the things that had been put up in the attic over the years. There were various bits of half-broken furniture, boxes of Elinor’s baby clothes and toys and lots of Edward’s things that Serena could not bear to throw away once he died, however much she’d disliked him.

Elinor pulled herself onto an old armchair that listed to one side due to a broken leg. Cam climbed up onto her lap. Serena made sure that she was tucked up with blankets to keep her warm. She’d calmed since Bernie had brought her up here. Serena stroked her hair off her face and kissed her on the forehead.

“You can go back to sleep if you like, darling,” she said, hoping that Elinor would. A sleeping Elinor was not a worried or upset Elinor.

Serena turned back to the trapdoor to find Essie leaning over the edge, taking things off Bernie and Sacha who were passing up boxes of valuable and more blankets.

Elinor watched them from her chair, still not understanding what was going on. “What are they doing?” she asked.

Serena was silent for a moment, trying to work out how much to tell Elinor. “The river has flooded the downstairs,” she said eventually, “They are bringing up some of our important things so they don’t get damaged by the water.”

Elinor nodded, seemingly satisfied by the explanation.

“Are the horses alright?” she asked and Serena’s heart dropped. Because no one had yet thought of the horses, trapped in the stables as the waters rose.

She turned from Elinor and ran over to the trapdoor.

“The horses!” she said, “What about the horses?”

Essie gasped. “They’re still the in their stables. Oh god.”

“We’ll go and let them out,” Bernie said, keeping her head more than the rest of them.

Sacha nodded. “We just need to open the doors and untether them. They can swim to higher ground themselves.”

“You can’t go out in that though,” Serena said, “Not with her wandering around outside.”

“We have little choice,” Bernie said. She reached up a hand towards Serena and Serena knelt down, reaching through the hole to touch her fingers. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”

And with that, Bernie turned on her heals and disappeared from sight, Sacha following in her stead.

Essie and Serena clung to each other as they watched them go. They heard the splashing as they waded through the flooded downstairs of the house and the sound of the door opening and closing. Then any sounds they made were swallowed up in the roar of the storm.

Serena made her way over to the small window and peered out. She could just about make out two dark figures wading through the chest high water in the garden out towards the stables, both of them with rifles carefully positioned on their shoulders to keep their powder as dry as possible. Then they rounded a corner and Serena could see them no longer.

She turned back to the rest of the room and found Essie perched on the edge of Elinor’s chair, telling her a story. Serena approached and sat down on the floor, leaning her head against the chair and listening to Essie’s story. Anything was better than worrying about what was happening to Bernie and Sacha out there in the dark.

Time seemed to slow, sat up there waiting for their return. Elinor grew restless and had to be distracted by a box of toys from her baby years. She was fascinated by the wooden rattles and teething toys, having no memory of them being hers. Serena kept walking over to the window to see if she could see them returning but it was so dark and the rain was so heavy that she wasn’t sure she’d even be able to see them if they were there. And with the sound of the wind, there was no way that they would hear a cry for help. They just had to wait it out and see if they returned.

Eventually there was a bang downstairs as the front door flew open. Serena and Essie both ran to the trapdoor and peered out. There was a splashing downstairs and then a shout followed by a single gunshot. They all jumped at the noise and Essie grasped Serena’s hand.

“What was that?” she whispered.

Serena said nothing but the grim look on her face said everything she wanted to say. She squeezed Essie’s hand tightly.

There was a rapid splashing sound that got louder and louder and then turned to footsteps. Peering down into the unlit hallway, Serena let out a cry of relief as Sacha and Bernie appeared at a run. Essie and Serena stepped back to let them climb the ladder and throw themselves into the attic, pulling up the ladder behind them.

“She’s in the house,” Bernie said in explanation as Sacha bent and attached a padlock to the trapdoor.


	8. Chapter 8

“In the house?” Serena asked, not able to believe what she had just been told.

Sacha nodded grimly. “I think she got in through the broken window. She saw us and chased us up the stairs.”

Serena shivered. “Then I’m very glad you both got back safely, and that you had the forethought to secrete us away up here.”

Water dripped off the pair of them as they stood by the now locked trapdoor, shivering. Serena grabbed a couple of the blankets and passed one to Sacha. The other she wrapped around Bernie herself, pulling it tight around the soaked woman. She wanted to care for Bernie, like Bernie had cared for her over the past few days.

“The horses?” Serena asked, rubbing her hands up and down Bernie to warm her.

“Currently swimming towards the hillock behind the house,” Sacha said, “Glad we got there when we did though. The water’s really deep out there now.”

Essie had meanwhile been digging through the boxes in the attic. She pulled out some of Edward’s old clothes and held them up for size.

“I think this is the best we’re going to manage,” she said, making two piles of clothes. “Come on Sacha, I’ll hold up the blanket while you change out of those clothes. The last thing we need is you catching a fever.”

Sacha and Essie moved over to one end of the attic while Serena stood there, still rubbing up and down Bernie’s arms.

“Why is Bernie so wet?” Elinor asked, the attraction of the old toys now dimming.

“Because I went outside to check on the horses,” Bernie said, kneeling down to talk to Elinor.

“You look like you fell in the river!” Elinor said, “You shouldn’t do that you know. Mother says that there are monsters in the water.”

Bernie looked at the little girl solemnly. “Your mother is correct. There are monsters in the water and you should definitely stay away. But luckily the monsters are all scared of me!”

Elinor’s eyes widened. “Can you teach me how to make the monsters scared of me?”

Bernie grinned. “I can. Just let me get changed into some dry clothes and I’ll teach you all I know.”

Elinor bounced in excitement and Serena couldn’t help but smile.

Bernie moved to pick up the pile of clothes Essie had lifted out. “Um Serena?” she asked, “Do you mind?”

She pulled the soggy blanket off herself and held it out towards Serena and Serena realised what she was asking.

“Of course,” she said before turning to Elinor. “Now Elinor, sit yourself down on that chair and wait patiently for Bernie to get changed, there’s a good girl.”

Elinor flopped back down on the chair and Serena moved over to the other side of the attic with Bernie. She held up the blanket in outstretched arms and Bernie ducked behind it. Serena caught a couple of glimpses of smooth, pale skin as Bernie peeled off her sodden layers. Something twisted in her gut that didn’t feel quite like the fear she experienced already that evening. She turned her head away and tried to concentrate on the ceiling instead.

Bernie changed quickly. One minute Serena was looking away from naked flesh and then she looked back to find Bernie dressed in her late husband’s clothes. It was an odd, jarring experience, having Bernie and Edward all mixed up like that. But a strange, usually silent part of her brain informed her that Bernie looked much better in the clothing than Edward ever had.

Bernie, colour now coming back into her cheeks as she warmed up, set immediately to teaching Elinor how to scare monsters. Serena didn’t really understand it herself but the pair of them seemed happy making roaring sounds and contorting their faces into horrific shapes. She sunk herself into Elinor’s neglected chair and Cam rested his head on her lap. She sunk her fingers into his soft fur as she watched the lessons progress and wondered why she had not allowed Elinor to have a dog in the past.

Sacha was keeping a vigil at the small attic window, watching for any movement in the darkness. Essie was taking the opportunity to have a good sort through all the boxes in the attic. Serena knew she was really just trying to distract herself from the situation they were all in. Serena almost went to help her but she found that sitting down had brought the weariness back. She wondered what time it was, it seemed like hours ago that she was woken by Bernie. Morning must come soon and with it help maybe from the town. They’d come last time there was flooding, not that they’d needed help. Maybe they’d come again.

Serena hadn’t realised that she’d drifted off to sleep there on the wonky chair with Cam keeping her warm until sunlight fell across her face, waking her. She opened her eyes and stretched, confused for a moment as to where she was before she looked around and remembered the events of the previous night.

Sacha was still stood at the window, looking out. The other three were asleep in a pile of blankets in the middle of the floor, Elinor snuggled in between Essie and Bernie. Serena watched them sleep for a moment before standing and joining Sacha.

“Storm stopped about an hour ago,” Sacha said, his eyes still trained on the outside world, “It seemed to lose all it’s power at first light. And now all of the clouds have cleared.”

Serena peered outside. The sky was indeed clear and the sun shining brightly over what should have been her garden. But instead of her garden, she could only see water. Water extending all over the countryside as far as the eye could see.

“Any sign of her?” Serena asked.

Sacha shook his head. “No but I don’t think she’s still in the house. The waters are gradually receding. The wall at the edge of the garden wasn’t visible before and it is now. She’s not going to stick around when she might be left of dry land.”

Serena jumped when a hand fell on her shoulder. She let out an alarmed sound and spun round to find Bernie stood behind her.

“You’re awake.”

Bernie nodded. “I am. Are you well?”

“Quite well. All thanks to you and Sacha. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

Bernie ducked her head and Serena could see a blush dusting over her cheeks. It made Bernie look pretty, in a way that a woman stood there in Edward’s rumpled old clothing really shouldn’t.

“What’s it looking like out there?” Bernie asked.

She put a hand on Serena’s hip as she leant round her to look out of the window. Then she nodded with satisfaction.

“It’s as I thought, her powers must be linked to the darkness. That’s why she hides in the deepest, darkest parts of the river. We should be safe now until nightfall.”

“So you think she’s gone?”

Bernie nodded. “For now. But we must be prepared for tonight. We need to get the ritual right. I don’t think you can hold out here for another month before the next full moon.”

Sacha had moved over to the trapdoor and was unlocking the padlock. Serena moved over towards him and helped him drop the ladder. Looking down into the hallway beneath them, Serena could see wet footprints up and down the corridor. Were they just left from Bernie and Sacha rescuing the horses or were they Jenny Greenteeth’s footprints? She shuddered and hoped that she never had to find out the answer to that question. Didn’t want to know how close they had come to being pulled under the water forever.

Sacha stopped her as she made to climb down the ladder. “Let me go first and check that it is safe,” he said.

She watched as he climbed down the ladder and made his way along the hallway, opening doors and checking rooms as he went. Then he reached the stairs and descended out of sight.

Serena turned back to the rest of the room. Essie and Elinor were still fast asleep under their blankets. Bernie was still stood at the window. She went over to join her.

“I must thank you again,” she said and Bernie turned her head to look at her, “You were brilliant last night. I don’t even want to think about what might have happened if you weren’t there.”

The pretty blush returned to Bernie’s cheeks. “I only did what must be done,” she said, her voice low.

“Well thank you anyway,” Serena said. She took a step forward and leant in to place a kiss on Bernie’s cheek.

Bernie stumbled backwards against the wall and stared at Serena with a strange look across her face. “Serena…” she breathed.

“Sorry,” Serena said, thinking that she had upset Bernie, “I just wanted to show my gratitude.”

Bernie reached out a hand and threaded her fingers through Serena’s. “Nothing to be sorry for,” she said, “Just a shock is all. I’m not used to people being so kind to me.”

“Well I’m going to make sure that you are used to it. Whatever happens Bernie, I’m going to be your friend.”

Bernie opened her mouth as though she was going to say something but at that moment Sacha’s head appeared in the trapdoor and he cleared his throat.

“All clear downstairs,” he said once they’d dropped each other’s hands and turned to him, “Very wet though. You might want to make sure you’ve got some good boots on if you want to come and survey the damage.”

They left Essie and Elinor sleeping in the attic and made their way downstairs, calling in at Serena’s room to pull on boots. Sacha had been right, it was very wet downstairs. The flood waters had now receded to the point that they weren’t inside the house anymore but that didn’t mean that the water had all gone. The carpets were sodden and ruined, as was much of the furniture. The floorboards in the kitchen had warped in the damp leaving the floor very uneven. Books, shoes and cooking utensils scattered all the floors, clearly having been picked up by the floods and dropped when the water drained away. Everything was covered in a thin layer of silt. Serena looked around at her damaged house and wanted to cry. The only thing that stopped her was the quiet, unyielding presence of Bernie beside her.

“We’ll get it sorted and back to normal in no time, don’t you worry,” Sacha promised as he saw the look on Serena’s face.

Serena nodded, not trusting herself to open her mouth without wailing. She wasn’t sure that she believed Sacha. While they lived perfectly comfortably usually, she knew there wasn’t much money to spare. How would they pay to get all of this damage fixed?

It all became too much and she turned and ran back upstairs. At least there was little evidence of damage up there. She flung herself onto her bed and let the tears fall. She hadn’t realised that Bernie had followed her upstairs and was shocked when she sat down on the bed next to her and ran her fingers through her hair, making soothing noises. Serena lifted her head, saw it was Bernie and wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her in close. Bernie was the only good thing that had come from this whole mess and she wasn’t letting her go any time soon.


	9. Chapter 9

She’d calmed by the time Elinor and Essie woke and climbed down the ladder. They all sat together in one of the spare bedrooms and ate a breakfast of bread and milk. It was simple food but it was filling, and anyway it was all that Essie had managed to save from the kitchen. The rest of the pantry would need to be thrown away now and restocked once more before winter.

There was a knock on the door just after breakfast. Sacha answered it to find a small group of men from town come to check on them. They were relieved that no one was hurt and promised to send some more food over later in the day as well as more support over the next few weeks to get the downstairs of the house back into working order.

Once they’d gone, moving on to the next house down the valley, Serena went round all the downstairs and opened all the windows to try and start the drying process. She found the broken window from the night before and pointed it out to Sacha.

“Don’t worry, I’ll board it up for now,” he promised.

Essie had kept Elinor upstairs so far, keeping her away from the destruction downstairs. But Elinor was getting restless. She’d been trapped inside for days now and not even being allowed to go downstairs led to a huge tantrum.

Serena came into her room to help Essie calm her. Then she had an idea.

“Essie, why don’t you and Elinor go and look for the horses?”

Elinor’s sobs calmed and she pricked her ears. “The horses?”

Serena nodded. “They should be up on the hillside behind the house somewhere. If you both put on galoshes and warm coats, you should be fine to go and check on them. I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you after a night in the storm.”

Elinor wiped her eyes and smiled. “Yes. I want to go and see the horses.”

“Well that’s settled then,” Serena said.

She helped Elinor into her wet weather clothing, luckily all kept in her wardrobe upstairs so undamaged. Essie found an old pair of galoshes that used to be Edward’s in the attic and with a few extra pairs of woollen socks, they weren’t too bad a fit. Serena lent her a warm coat and they both set out across the waterlogged lawn and up onto the hillside.

Serena watched them go, hoping that she had made the right decision. It was the opposite direction from the river, and the waters had almost completely receded now, so she didn’t think they were in any danger. And with Elinor out of the house it gave her and Bernie a chance to make sure they were prepared for the ritual.

There was a hammering inside the house as Sacha set to fixing the broken window. Serena found Bernie stood in the kitchen holding up her sodden knapsack as it dripped onto the floor.

“Oh no Bernie, was that downstairs last night.”

Bernie nodded. “I wouldn’t have been too bothered by it,” she said sorrowfully, “I don’t own anything of value that can be ruined. But I left the book in there last night.”

She reached into the knapsack and pulled out the book containing the ritual.

Fear shot through Serena as she saw the ruined book. That book had been her salvation. The only way she was going to keep Elinor safe. Was her chance gone forever?

Bernie set the book on the table and carefully leafed through the waterlogged pages. They were stuck together and it was clear that the ink had run. Bernie continued turning the pages, one at a time, slowly so as not to rip the thin paper, until she reached the page with the ritual on it. They both leant in, studying the page.

It wasn’t too bad in the end. While the ink had run in places, rendering some words unreadable, most of the text was still legible. Serena breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it wasn’t all ruined forever.

“Do you think she knew about the book?” Serena asked. “Was that why she flooded the house?”

Bernie shook her head. “I don’t think so. If she did, I think she would have taken it. She was in the house last night, it would have been easy enough to do. No I think last night was just about getting to Elinor the only way she could.”

Serena took a deep breath to dispel her fear and turned back to the page. The list of ingredients was partially obscured by the running ink but she could make out most of it.

“Do you have all of this?” she asked Bernie.

Bernie ran her eyes over the page. “Most of it,” she said, “Luckily my jars are all waterproof.”

She tipped her knapsack onto the table and a number of jars rolled out, along with a fair bit of river water.

Serena righted the jars. The labels had rubbed off but it was clear what most of the ingredients were anyway. Most of them were plants she’d grown up knowing the names of, local plants that grew near the river and up on the hills.

Bernie checked the list again. “The main thing I’m missing is the rose petals. I’m afraid you don’t get many roses up on the moor. I don’t suppose you have any?”

“We had some in the garden over the summer but they’ve long since died back,” Serena said. Then she thought for a moment. “Wait a minute, I’ve got an idea,” she said, running upstairs leaving Bernie to watch her disappear.

She was back quickly, a small, ornate box in her hand. She held it out to Bernie and opened it. Inside were a few dried rose petals.

Bernie looked at her curiously.

“From my wedding,” Serena explained, “They were used as confetti.”

Bernie pushed the box back towards her. “No Serena, I can’t use them. They mean too much to you.”

Serena shook her head and held the box out again. “No they don’t. I’d almost forgotten their existence. Trust me. I have no need to remember my wedding. Edward is dead and gone along with my marriage and I’m happy about that.”

Bernie studied her face and must have found what she was looking for as she nodded once and took the box from Serena’s hand.

“Thank you,” she said.

The rest of the morning was taken up with ensuring that all the ingredients and other items that they needed for the ritual were all in place. Serena rinsed out one of Essie large mixing bowls. It had managed to stay intact in the flood but was covered in a grime that took some washing to remove. It was going to be the best thing to contain the ingredients in while they were burnt.

Essie and Elinor returned mid-morning, leading the horses with them.

“They were settled under a tree a couple of miles up the hillside. Seemed perfectly content despite their dampness,” Essie said.

Sacha went out to inspect the stables. He cleaned out all the hay and swept all the water out of the door. Although there was still some dampness around, with fresh hay in the stalls, he deemed the stables fit for use again. Elinor helped him to brush down the horses and get them settled back in their stalls.

Essie left them to it and instead began to inspect the damage in the kitchen. As she had suspected, all of the food was spoiled and some of the crockery was broken. Most of it seemed fine, although dirty. She lit a fire in the hearth and got to work cleaning everything. Serena felt better seeing the kitchen coming back to life. Even if all the other rooms downstairs, the dining room, the office, the library, even her own lovely sitting room, were damaged beyond repair, if the kitchen was functional again then she felt like she could breathe more easily.

There was a delivery of food around lunchtime. Nothing fancy, just a few loaves of bread, some vegetables and a hunk of beef. Serena greeted the woman who delivered it gratefully and handed over a few coins for her trouble but the woman refused to take them.

“Oh no,” she said, “I want to help. You’re the only house in the area that was flooded. We’ve been round everyone else and they are all fine. These are donations from other houses when they found out how bad it was here.”

“Well then thank you, we are so grateful.”

“It’s strange,” the woman commented, “Your house isn’t even the nearest to the river. You would have thought that the Thompson house would be underwater before yours but they got away unscathed.”

This cemented in Serena’s mind the thought that the storm, and the subsequent flooding, was all down to Jenny Greenteeth. Not that she was going to admit it to the woman at the door. So instead she thanked her again and waved as the woman walked back down the garden path and climbed into a small cart by the gate.


	10. Chapter 10

Darkness seemed to fall early that night. They’d all been so busy all day, cleaning up the mess from the previous night, and barely noticed the time until the sun began to dip below the horizon.

Bernie’s back went ramrod straight as she noticed the change in light. “Best get prepared,” she whispered to Serena.

As calmly as she could, Serena ushered Elinor upstairs. Elinor took little persuading to climb the ladder into the attic this time for which Serena was very grateful. Earlier, she’d made up Elinor a proper bed on the floor and she settled her into it quickly, only taking the time to snip a lock of Elinor’s hair off as she drifted off.

Essie took up vigil in the hallway beneath the trapdoor. She could climb the ladder quickly, and pull it up behind her if necessary, therefore protecting Elinor from any danger. They all hoped that it wouldn’t be necessary. There were no threatening storm clouds that evening. Hopefully Jenny Greenteeth had realised that they could defend themselves from floods and given up. Secretly Serena worried though. She was sure that Jenny Greenteeth wouldn’t just give up. She’d have another, more devastating plan that she would enact that night.

Back downstairs Bernie filled the mixing bowl with the correct amounts of the ingredients. Serena brought the lock of hair down to her and Bernie placed it reverently into the bowl.

“All ready for midnight,” she said, scanning the page of the book once more.

The evening dragged on. Sacha paced up and down the kitchen, his rifle in his hands ready. Bernie kept her eyes fixed on the hallway clock, luckily undamaged by the flooding, as though she was worried midnight would creep up on her unawares.

Without the storm clouds of the previous night, the full moon lit up the garden, giving them a much better view than usual.

“Do you think the moonlight weakens her like sunlight?” Serena asked Bernie, “Is that why the ritual has to be performed on a full moon?”

“It may be the case,” Bernie said, her eyes still not leaving the clock, “But equally the opposite might be true. It may be that moonlight strengthens her. We cannot let our guard down.”

The time seemed to slow and the hands of the clock moved sluggishly around the face. Nothing happened. Essie continued to sit at the base of the ladder, ready for anything. Sacha continued to pace, keeping an eye out into the garden. Bernie continued to clock watch. And Serena continued to worry. She knew that there was nothing more that could be done in that moment but it didn’t stop her wanting to make herself busy. She made cups of tea for everyone else on the hour, every house. She checked up on Elinor, who thankfully seemed to be sleeping fine. She fed Cam some of the leftover beef and made sure he had a dry cushion to sleep on. And then she pottered around the house, completing little jobs as she found them, unable to settle.

It was almost midnight when there was the creak of the garden gate. Bernie stiffened and Sacha moved to the window.

“Nothing there,” he said, “Must be the wind.”

Bernie seemed less sure. She stood and picked up the mixing bowl that was to be their makeshift cauldron.

“Serena, get the book,” she muttered and Serena obeyed.

She picked it up from the table and stood next to Bernie, trying to take comfort from her closeness.

There was another sound in the garden, a banging sound this time, like someone was hitting pieces of wood together.

Serena shivered and Bernie pressed herself closer against her.

“We can do this,” she whispered, nudging Serena, “We’re stronger together than she is.”

Serena nodded, although she didn’t really believe it herself. It was clear that Bernie did and that was enough for the moment.

The bong as the clock struck midnight made everyone jump. Bernie ran forward, pushing open the front door. She put the mixing bowl on the top step, lit a match and threw it in. Serena moved next to her and held out the book. Together they intoned the words of the spell as the ingredients burned in front of them.

Sacha appeared at their side with a small shovel in his hand. Once the flames had died down Bernie picked up the bowl again and ran around to the first corner of the house. There, she dropped a handful of the ashes into the hole they’d dug earlier and Sacha covered it over with soil. Serena stood back, keeping an eye out around them. Nothing moved but Serena couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

It took only minutes before all four corners of the house had a handful of ashes buried by them. Bernie and Sacha looked up from their work and smiled.

“Done,” Bernie said, “That should stop all the problems.”

Serena gave Bernie a small smile but she just couldn’t believe that it was all over. Particularly since the sense of being watched had not gone away yet. She’d expected something more once the ritual had been complete, something to indicate it had actually worked but there was nothing. Still, Bernie seemed convinced it had worked and she was the one with all the experience.

The three of them walked back to the front door, finding Essie stood in the doorway.

“Is it over?” she asked and wrapped her arms around Sacha in a hug when he confirmed it was.

Serena watched them, always slightly envious of their obvious love. It had never been like that between her and Edward. Bernie shifted beside her, slipping an arm around her waist, and Serena leant into her warm body.

Cam suddenly shot out of the door, pushing Essie and Sacha out of the way, and barking like mad. Shocked, they all turned to see where he was heading. And their hearts dropped.

Stood by the garden gate, dripping with cold river water, there she was. Jenny Greenteeth herself. Her pondweed hair seemed to slither like snakes on top of her head and her mouth was open, revealing a row of sharp, green teeth.

Serena screamed and she felt Bernie stiffen against her for a moment before moving rapidly towards the open door, dragging Serena with her. Essie and Sacha had already moved inside.

“It didn’t work,” she was muttering, “It didn’t work. Why didn’t it work?”

She pulled the book out of Serena’s hands and began running her fingers across the page.

“Oh,” she said suddenly, her finger hovering over a particularly bad water mark. “Oh.”

“What is it?” Serena asked urgently.

“We missed an ingredient,” Bernie said, turning to Serena, her face ashen, “The spell won’t work because we missed an ingredient.”

“Can we add it now? Will it still work?” Serena asked, needing to do something, anything to make this better.

Bernie grimaced. “Maybe,” she said, “If we’re quick.”

“Well what is it we missed?” Serena asked.

Bernie pointed at the book. “A lock of hair from victim’s true love.”

Serena cried out, tears brimming in her eyes. “No. No. It can’t be. Elinor is a child. She doesn’t have a true love yet.”

Bernie however looked calm. “It doesn’t always mean that,” she said, turning to the front of the book, “Sometimes it uses the wording someone who loves the victim truly. And Elinor does have someone who loves her truly doesn’t she?”

Serena looked at her wildly. “She does?”

“She does. You.”

The pieces fell into place in Serena’s mind. She grabbed a pair of scissors from the kitchen and held them out to Bernie.

“Will you do it?” she asked.

Bernie took the scissors and Serena stepped closer. The metal blades of the scissors brushed against her cheek as Bernie snipped delicately at her hair.

Strands of hair fell to the ground and Serena scrambled to pick them up. She threw them in the mixing bowl and Bernie lit another match.

The words came easily this time. They read them clearly and calmly even as Cam continued his barking in the front garden.

The flames died down and they dashed outside to add the new ashes to the old ones. Sacha, noticing what they were doing, followed them with the shovel.

“Are you not concerned for Cam?” Serena asked, as they ran.

Bernie nodded. “I am but currently he is our only defence. I have to trust in him to keep himself safe.”

It took more time this time as they had to dig the holes first. Serena glanced up as they completed the first one to find Essie stood in the doorway, Sacha’s rifle in her hands, pointed out straight at the monster still stood by the gate. Then they ran round to the back of the house and they were out of sight. The continued barking and the lack of gunshots was the only thing that told them the worst hadn’t happened yet.

They came back around to the front of the house to complete the fourth cache. The standoff between Jenny Greenteeth and Cam and Essie was continuing. Jenny Greenteeth was gnashing her teeth at Cam but seemed reluctant to get to close to him. Her fear of dogs must be a real thing. Bernie made a mental note to add it to the book of rituals once this was all over.

Sacha uncovered the other ashes with his shovel and Serena dropped the new ashes in the hole. As soon as the hole was covered over again with soil there was a flash of light followed by a gust of wind that seemed to come from the house itself. Looking up, they all saw Jenny Greenteeth being carried away by the gust, her skinny green arms flailing. Then she was gone from sight.

Serena breathed a sigh of relief and realised that the feeling of being watched had now completely gone. She smiled as she realised that this time it was actually all over.

“You did it,” she said, turning to Bernie who grinned back, “You actually did it, you wonderful woman.”

And then before she had a chance to think she stepped forward, placing her hands on each side of Bernie’s face, and kissed her.

Bernie kissed back immediately, dropping the mixing bowl onto the floor and wrapping both her arms firmly around Serena, drawing her closer. Serena stopped thinking entirely and let herself bask in the feeling of Bernie.

They broke apart reluctantly as Cam came and nuzzled at them, wanting affection for himself as well. Serena stepped back from Bernie, and glanced around her. The garden was empty, Sacha and Essie having made a hasty retreat.

“Bernie I...” she began but didn’t know what else to say. She hadn’t been expecting this at all.

Bernie slipped a cold hand into hers. “You don’t have to say anything,” she said, “Let’s go inside and get some sleep. I think we need it.”


	11. Epilogue

Serena sat in the garden admiring the roses that were in full bloom. She’d developed rather a liking for roses since the events of the previous autumn. When they died back, she was going to gather some of the petals and dry them out, just in case they needed them.

The smell of baking bread drifted out from the kitchen where Essie was busy cooking. Sacha was sat beside her on the grass, covered in soil from where he had just been weeding, but content in the warm sun.

“Mother!” came the shout and Serena looked up to find Elinor running towards her along the path, Bernie and Cam following behind, “Come and see what we caught in the traps!”

Slung over Bernie’s back were two rabbits. She stepped in through the garden gate and approached Serena, bending to give her a quick kiss.

“Rabbit stew tonight?” she said.

Cam barked his agreement and Serena laughed. “Of course. Take them in to Essie and she’ll get the stew started.”

Elinor bounced up to Serena and began talking, ten to the dozen, about all the plants Bernie had shown her today. Serena listened happily, glad that Elinor was learning a profession she could rely on in the future. There would always be need of a healing woman and it would mean that Elinor could marry out of choice, not necessity.

Bernie slipped back outside having deposited the rabbits in the kitchen.

“I’m going to sleep well tonight,” she said, sitting herself down next to Serena.

“Hard day darling?”

“Your daughter is quite the pupil, but her energy is boundless. Even Cam is worn out,” she said, pointing out Cam who had flopped down in a patch of sunlight.

“Well I’m not complaining if you want an early night,” Serena said, raising her eyebrows before letting out a laugh.

Bernie groaned but wrapped an arm around Serena and hugged her. They sat there, in the summer sunshine, just enjoying the silence.

In the distance, the sound of the river was just about audible but it no longer scared Serena. And really, she thought, she might even want to thank Jenny Greenteeth. Because if it wasn’t for her she wouldn’t have found the love of her life. And for the gift of Bernie in her life, in her house, in her bed, she would be eternally thankful.


End file.
